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The real election will come with ranked-choice voting and Proposition 131.

Harry October 26, 2024

Colorado ready for real election with ranked-choice voting

Again: “Colorado isn’t ready for ranked-choice voting yet,” October 20 editorial and “Think your ballot is bulky this year? Wait for ranked voting”, October 20 comment

The Editorial Board is right Proposal 131 It means “better choices for voters.” But it’s wrong that Colorado isn’t ready for primaries where all candidates are open. Quite the opposite: Colorado is uniquely positioned to lead the nation toward better representation and more functional government.

We should not accept an election system in which most of us have no say. ours research In Unite America in 2022, only 13% of eligible Coloradans voted in competitive, non-party-predetermined elections to the state legislature. This year, seven out of eight U.S. representatives were decided by just 6% of voters in party primaries.

Party primaries prevent the vast majority of Coloradans—Republicans, Democrats, and independents—from having a real say in representation. When candidates only need to win the support of some of the most active voters to get elected, they have little incentive to compromise and get things done. It’s no surprise that the Colorado legislature is one of the most polarized legislatures in the country; Even if the vast majority can reach agreement, they cannot address important issues.

With primaries open to all candidates, Proposition 131 would upgrade our gold standard elections to platinum. Every voter will have the freedom to vote for any candidate, regardless of party, in the primaries. The top four finishers will advance to the November election, and whoever wins majority support wins. This is common sense.

Colorado has the opportunity to once again be a national leader on election reform. Vote yes on Proposition 131.

Nick Troiano, Denver

Editor’s note: Troiano, Unite America.

The Post’s editorial on Sunday stated that Colorado is not ready for Rank Choice Voting (RCV).

I would say the main reason someone would want to vote for Proposition 131 is because they are tired of the two-party system that is becoming more and more divisive with each election cycle. Nobody objects to this. But many people think that RCV is too difficult for us. Why don’t we decide what’s too hard?

Do you remember being asked to list your favorite x (let’s call them animals for fun) in school? So you are asked to rank them from 1 your favorite to 10 your least favorite. This is rank selection. RCV is a way to give us more options.

Everything in life is a learning curve to some degree. This is not a reason not to do something that is good for us. We work on it and then it becomes second nature. I think we are all ready to end this two-party system, and the first step to do that is to vote yes on RCV.

Debbie Daehnick, Morrison

Let’s objectively examine why Proposition 131 is a uniquely unjust and anti-democratic idea. Proposition 131 eliminates party primary voting and introduces the patently undemocratic practice of ranked-choice voting.

First, a healthy republic needs competing parties that promote the unique values of their constituent groups and differentiate candidates based on their support for those values. Proposition 131 alleviates this critical element of American elections by allowing both non-party and unaffiliated voters to choose the other party’s candidate in primaries. As a result, the minority party’s top candidates may never make it to the general election.

Second, Proposition 131 eliminates the concept of “one person, one vote.” In this anti-democratic system, a citizen who votes for a candidate other than the four most popular candidates automatically receives a second vote with his or her next choice in the ballot. A person who votes for one of the first two candidates in the general election cannot receive such a second vote. This is clearly a system that is deeply contrary to American values.

Conrad A. Widman, Colorado Springs

Saying “your votes are invalid” when your preferred slate of candidates has been exhausted is disingenuous at best. In the current mode, any vote not cast for a candidate who does not win is “knocked out.”

Ranked choice is about getting the most consent from the governed. It makes you say, “Everyone but them.” If you hate a particular candidate (for example, because they tried to overturn an election and incited political violence, then committed treason under the Logan Act after leaving office seeking re-election), you can vote your conscience first. Whichever third-party candidate you like. After inevitable defeat in the first or second round, you will vote for the consensus candidate. This gets you more votes, not less!

Jeremy HolmesDenver

I’m tired of voting for the most electable or least offensive candidate, right? Proposition 131 provides a way to express our preferences in a positive rather than a negative way.

Registered independents in Colorado now significantly outnumber both Democrats and Republicans. However, we maintain a partisan primary election system that gives the two main political parties power far beyond their share of the electorate. Although independents can participate in the primary election of their own choosing, the general election candidates selected are still partisan.

Parties have value, but is that the most important characteristic of a candidate, let alone their officeholder?

In almost all cases, our current system offers only two valid options, and we list them in a simple binary: yes to A, no to B. Ranked-choice voting gives us the opportunity to evaluate a set of candidates (e.g. A to D). I say, “I really love A, but I would be happier with B than with C; But D is right out! Your equally valid range could be D through A. This way, we will tend to elect more Bs and Cs, people who are more likely to compromise and therefore get things done for us, the voting public.

Instead of choosing the lesser of evils, Proposition 131 provides a mechanism to vote for the candidate instead of voting against the candidate. Please join me in supporting this new system that puts the interests of the people ahead of party.

Christopher AndersonDenver

The idea that all Democrats quietly sit on the far left of the political spectrum, as proponents of Proposition 131 suggest, could only be made by someone who has never attended the Democratic Convention or even a precinct committee. This sponsor wants to continue the disruptive effect of the law opening primary elections to non-party members. What other organization asks non-members to help elect its leaders?

Parties help citizens learn how our democracies work. Leaders educate citizens, especially those active in politics, about issues, and citizens educate their leaders about their needs. Politics is the training ground for future elected officials and one of the few institutions that builds community among diverse groups of people.

The 131st proposal is actually two proposals that reduce the role of political parties. First, it puts all candidates of any or no party on the primary ballot. Unlike candidates chosen by political parties, these candidates may not be known to anyone and may be inexperienced in government processes. The person who receives the first four votes is declared the winner of the primary election.

The second part of Proposition 131 requires voters to choose their first, second, third and fourth choices for election to each office. This is supposed to give voters more choices, but the primary system does not guarantee that any option will be desirable.

What our government needs is one highly qualified person for every office.

For a mind-blowing explanation of this process, check out the 2024 State Ballot Information Booklet sent to every voter. Then vote no on Proposition 131.

Pat Pascoe, Denver

While Proposition 131 seems like a classic Rank-Choice Voting (RCV) strategy that would help level the playing field, it would actually do the opposite if passed. This may surprise you. As a long-time advocate of RCV, I was shocked to learn the origins of Proposition 131 and the truth about how it would impact Colorado elections. Here’s what you need to know before voting for this measure.

This is not a grassroots effort; It came from a group that did not consult election officials before putting this model to the vote. The measure is not a traditional RCV model, but rather creates jungle primaries, forcing candidates to raise and spend more money than ever to achieve name recognition and success at the polls, both in crowded all-candidate primaries and in general elections. They are competing with not one but three candidates. While some RCV models may offer greater opportunities for lesser-known candidates, Proposition 131 leaves Colorado elections more open to dark money and outside influences. Under this system, independently wealthy candidates would have a distinct advantage over ordinary Coloradans.

This measure is so far from what’s best for Colorado elections that even groups like Ranked Choice Voting for Colorado don’t support it. County clerks across the state also expressed significant concerns about the implementation timeline and the administrative burdens that passing this measure would create. This measure is not in the interest of ordinary Coloradans running for office or our county election officials. Please vote “no” on Proposition 131.

Katherine JarvisDenver

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